EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1988 No. 247
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
PIG SLAUGHTER LEVY ACT 1971
PIG SLAUGHTER LEVY REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971 (the Act) provides for a levy to be imposed on the slaughter at an abattoir of pigs for sale for human consumption.
Section 8 of the Act empowers the Governor-General to make regulations for the purpose of section 6 of the Act. Section 6 provides that the levy shall be the aggregate of:
• an amount prescribed for the purpose of financing the Pig Research Council, not exceeding 50 cents; and
• an amount prescribed for the purpose of financing the Australian Pork Corporation (APC), not exceeding $1.50.
Before making regulations prescribing an amount for the purpose of financing the APC, the Governor-General shall take into consideration any recommendation regarding that amount made to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy by the APC. However, regulations shall not be made prescribing such an amount greater than the amount last recommended by the APC to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy.
The Pig Slaughter Levy Regulations currently prescribe a slaughter levy of 30 cents per pig for the purpose of financing the Pig Research Council and a slaughter levy of $1.00 per pig for the purpose of financing the APC, a total levy of $1.30 per pig slaughtered.
The APC recommended to the Minister that the portion of the pig slaughter levy for the purpose of financing the APC be increased to $1.50 per pig slaughtered. It is seeking the rate increase in the pig slaughter levy to fund its Corporate Plan and Annual Operational Plan for 1988/89.
The purpose of the proposed regulations is to apply an increased operative rate of levy for the purpose of financing the APC, from 1 November 1988. From that date the pig slaughter levy will be $1.80 per pig slaughtered, being the aggregate of an amount of 30 cents per pig for Pig Research Council purposes and $1.50 per pig for APC purposes. The new rate does not exceed the maximum rate prescribed by the Act.